BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 47 



our resident birds feed principally on the young shoots 

 of various grasses, and, in long- continued frost and 

 snow, on the leaf of the swede turnip. At this sea- 

 son, too, just at dusk, I have often noticed large 

 numbers of Larks flying towards some favourite 

 roosting-ground, either amongst rough grass or shorn 

 wheat-stubbles. 



Buff or cream-coloured varieties sometimes occur. 



79. ALAUDA ARBOREA, Linnaeus. Wood-Lark. 



I have never met with this species in North Lin- 

 colnshire. 



INSESSORES CONIROSTRES. EMBERIZID&. 



80. PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS (Linnaeus.) Snow- 

 Bunting. 



Provincial. Snow-flake, Snow-bird, Norway Sparrow. 



This hardy but beautiful little arctic bird is a con- 

 stant winter visitor, never, however, going very far 

 from the coast. Their time of arrival and numbers 

 are regulated much by the mildness or severity of the 

 season. They were extremely plentiful in the severe 

 winters of 1860-61, 1869-70, and again arrived in 

 extraordinary numbers in the autumn of 1871*. 

 Scarcely any visited us in the mild and open winters 

 of 1862-63, 1868-69. UsuaUy arrives in flocks from 



* The winter of 1871-72, however, although commencing 

 with some severe weather, was unusually open and mild. 



